Clayton News Daily

The question of who will be seeking public offices in seven Clayton County cities will be answered next week when the candidate-qualifying period for this year’s municipal elections arrives.

There are 24 mayoral and city council seats up for election this year in the cities of College Park, Forest Park, Jonesboro, Lake City, Lovejoy, Morrow and Riverdale.

The qualifying period for every Clayton County city is scheduled to begin Monday, according to officials in each town. It is scheduled to last through Wednesday in Lake City, Lovejoy and Riverdale, according to city clerks in those towns. Officials in College Park, Forest Park, Jonesboro and Morrow said they are scheduled to keep their qualifying windows open until Friday afternoon.

The mayoral seats held by College Park Mayor Jack Longino, Jonesboro Mayor Luther Maddox, Lake City Mayor Willie Oswalt, Lovejoy Mayor Joe Murphy, Morrow Mayor Jim Millirons and Riverdale Mayor Evelyn Wynn-Dixon are up for election this year. All seven cities in the county are also scheduled to have at least two city council seats on their ballots.

Uncertainty has emerged in at least one mayoral race. In Morrow, it looked a few months ago as if there would be a wide-open race, without an incumbent seeking re-election. But rumors are swirling in the town’s city hall that Millirons (who announced his intentions to step aside months ago), may now be considering another re-election run, leaving employees unsure what to expect next week. Millirons could not be reached for comment this week.

The qualifying information for each city, including what seats are up for grabs, is as follows:

College Park

Qualifying dates: Monday, Aug. 29, to Friday, Sept. 2

Where to Qualify: College Park City Hall, 3667 Main Street, in College Park

Offices up for Election: Mayor (Incumbent: Jack P. Longino), and City Council seats for Ward 1 (Incumbent: Ambrose Clay), and Ward 3 (Incumbent: Tracey Wyatt)

Qualifying fees: $100 for mayor, and $50 for city council seats

Forest Park

Qualifying dates: Monday, Aug. 29, to Friday, Sept. 2

Where to Qualify: Forest Park City Hall, 745 Forest Pkwy., in Forest Park

Offices up for Election: City Council seats for Ward 3 (Incumbent: Maudie McCord), Ward 4 (Incumbent: Donald Judson), and Ward 5 (Incumbent: Linda Lord)

Qualifying fees: $432 for city council seats

Jonesboro

Qualifying dates: Monday, Aug. 29, to Friday, Sept. 2

Where to Qualify: Jonesboro City Hall, 124 North Ave., in Jonesboro.

Offices up for Election: Mayor (Incumbent: Luther Maddox), and three at-large City Council seats (Incumbents: Bobby Wiggins, Roger Grider and Wallace Norrington)

Qualifying fees: $504 for mayor, and $252 for city council seats

Lake City

Qualifying dates: Monday, Aug. 29, to Wednesday, Aug. 31 (8:30 a.m., to 4:30 p.m.)

Where to Qualify: Lake City Municipal Hall, 5455 Jonesboro Road, in Lake City

Offices up for Election: Mayor (Incumbent: Willie Oswalt), and two at-large City Council seats (Incumbents: Bobbie Williams and Dwight Ginn)

Qualifying fees: $360 for mayor, and $252 for city council seats

Lovejoy

Qualifying dates: Monday, Aug. 29, to Wednesday, Aug. 31(9 a.m., to 4:30 p.m.)

Where to Qualify: Lovejoy City Hall, at the Joe Murphy Public Safety Building, 2296 Talmadge Road, in Lovejoy

Offices up for Election: Mayor (incumbent: Joe Murphy), City Council Post 1 (incumbent: Tommy Green), City Council Post 2 (incumbent: Marci Fluellyn), City Council Post 3 (incumbent: Rebekah Holland), and City Council Post 4 (incumbent: Bobby Cartwright)

Qualifying fees: $180 for both mayor and city council seats

Morrow

Qualifying dates: Monday, Aug. 29, to Friday, Sept. 2 (8:30 a.m., to noon, and 1 p.m., to 4:30 p.m.)

Where to Qualify: Morrow City Hall, 1500 Morrow Road, in Morrow

Offices up for Election: Mayor (Incumbent: Jim Millirons); two at-large City Council seats (Incumbents: Jeanell Bridges and Mason Barfield)

Qualifying fees: $432 for mayor, and $270 for city council seats

Riverdale

Qualifying dates: Monday, Aug. 29, to Wednesday, Aug. 31, (8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m., to 5 p.m.)

Where to Qualify: Riverdale City Hall, 7200 Church Street, in Riverdale

Offices up for Election: Mayor (incumbent: Evelyn Wynn-Dixon); City Council seats for Ward 2 (incumbent: Wayne Hall), and Ward 4 (incumbent: Kenny Ruffin)

Qualifying Fees: $432 for mayor, and $288 for city council seats